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Glasgow Warriors skipper Al Kellock was in an entirely different mood at the end of his side's game against reigning Heineken Cup champions Toulon last weekend compared to when he trudged off at half-time. - 18/10/2013 17:23
Glasgow Warriors skipper Al Kellock was in an entirely different mood at the end of his side’s game against reigning Heineken Cup champions Toulon last weekend compared to when he trudged off at half-time.
The interval couldn’t come quickly enough for the hitherto unbeaten Pro 12 leaders who conceded four tries and 34 points without reply. Things look bad, very bad indeed.
Yet 40 minutes later Kellock had four tries, 28 points and a priceless bonus point to discuss in the post-match interviews after a magnificent second half fightback.
“When you're down that many points you have to have a reaction. It was difficult to pick one area we needed to improve then, because we were making mistakes across the board,” admitted Kellock.
“Yet after the final whistle I was relishing the prospect of playing Toulon again, this time on our home ground. Now we need to make sure we don't go back to where we were.”
Meanwhile, the Warriors Pool 2 rivals Exeter Chiefs will be hoping they can go back to where they started last weekend when they ran Cardiff Blues off the field in an opening half at Sandy Park that saw them lead 36-6 having scored five tries.
They lost the second half 23-8, and let the Blues pick up an unlikely bonus point, and were reduced to 13 men at one stage with two players in the sin-bin. Head coach Rob Baxter will want to re-run of the first-half on his side’s first visit to Scotstoun and knows that a second successive win would keep the Chiefs on course for an epic battle in December with Toulon in the back-to-back games.
The two teams met in a pre-season friendly in Exeter and the Warriors proved streetwise enough to come away with victory. They haven’t been beaten at home since Leinster triumphed 6-0 in December last year and another win would put them right back in the mix in the Pool.
Glasgow Warriors reignited their Heineken Cup hopes with a narrow win over in-form Exeter Chiefs. - 20/10/2013 16:46
Glasgow Warriors reignited their Heineken Cup hopes with a narrow win over in-form Exeter Chiefs.
After an opening round defeat to Toulon, Glasgow needed a victory to keep alive their chances of qualifying and Gregor Townsend’s men duly delivered.
Exeter had dominated the early part of the game through the boot of fly-half Gareth Steenson but second half tries from Tim Swinson and Tyrone Holmes sealed the win for Glasgow.
Steenson had put the visitors in front with a penalty on two minutes but opposite number Ruaridh Jackson immediately hit back with three points of his own.
The pair exchanged penalties before Steenson edged the visitors back in front with his third penalty of the afternoon.
Steenson’s luck quickly changed when he was shown a yellow card for entering the ruck through the side in a desperate attempt to stop Glasgow scoring.
But Glasgow failed to make the most of their one-man advantage for the next 10 minutes and wasted several good opportunities.
Josh Strauss had the best chance of the first half for the home side but the Glasgow number eight fumbled his pass after stealing an Exeter scrum against the head.
Glasgow came out firing in the second half and it wasn’t long before the Pro12 leaders got the game’s opening try.
Swinson went in under the posts on 48 minutes after some good phase play and Jackson added the easy extras.
The home side thought they’d got a second try 12 minutes from the end when Tommy Seymour brushed off Steenson to go over in the corner but the video referee spotted a forward pass in the build-up.
Seymour was heavily involved moments later when he went broke the line again and this time he fed Holmes for Glasgow’s second score.
Jackson kicked the conversion and it proved to be an important kick as Exeter hit back with a try four minutes from time from number eight Dave Ewers.
Despite a conversion from Henry Slade it was Glasgow who held on for a deserved victory.
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